Device for making hollow strand terminal installations



Feb. 14, 1939. E, Q WAHLSTRM l2,146,923

' DEVICE FOR MAKING HOLLOW STRAND TERMINAL INSTALLATIONS Originall Filed April 24. 1936 l bweno:

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Patented Feb. i4, 1939 PATENT oFl-lcE DEVICE FOR MAKING HOLLOW STRAND TERMINAL INSTALLATIONS vald 0. Wahlstrom, Worcester, Mass., assigner to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey original application April 24, 193s, serial No.

Divided and this application March 15,

1937, Serial No. 131,075

This invention relates to, hollow or tubular strands, such as hollow'conductors of the type used in the transmission of high-voltage electricity. one of the objects being to join lengths of such strand together in a secure but easy manner. Other objects may be inferred from the following disclosure of a specic example f the invention.

The present application is a division from my co-pendingapplication entitled Hollow strand terminals, bearing Serial No. '76,256 and filed April 24, 1936. f A

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of this example. l5 I Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the details shown by Figure 2 and illustrating the results obtained.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 3.

0v The above show the end portion of a hollow strand I, a sleeve 2 having an inside 2 that tapers toward its ends to diameters substantially the same as the outside diameter of the strand I, a plug 3 adapted to t inside of the strand I,

and a tool 4 having an lend 4 adapted to be attached to the outside of the sleeve 2 and having a guideway 4b leading centrally toward the latter and which is provided with a breech mechanism Ilc adapted to fire a suitable ball cartridge 5 down the same and into the plug 3 when the sleeve 2 is positioned over the outside and when the plug 3 is positioned inside of the end portion of the strand l.

More specifically, the sleeve 2 may have external threads 2'J and the end 4B of the tool 4 may be internally threaded as at 4d, whereby these two may be screwed together. may be solid but is preferably longitudinally split and provided with a. centering recess 3 which 40 aids in the initial penetration of the ball of the cartridge 5. Also, the outside of the plug 3 and the inside of the sleeve 2 may be respectively provided with teeth 3b and 2c, these teeth becoming embedded in the strand I when the plug is expanded by the ball from the cartridge 5 so as to force the strand into continuous contact with the inside of the sleeve 2 in the manner illus-A s claims. (o1. 1-41) lis illustrated as having a gas expansion chamber 4e arranged between the muzzle of the guideway 4b and the plug 3 and provided with ports 4, while the breech mechanism 4c may consist simply ofv a plug that is screwed into this end of the 5 protruding end of the ring pin 4g with a haml0 mer. It will be noted that the tool 4 is constructed along relatively massive lines, this being both in the interests of safety and to provide a. relatively large mass whose inertia will absorb most of the recoil resulting when the tool is used. l5 Returning to the sleeve 2, it will be noted that this element is provided with a recess 2d, and the plug 3 is provided with a ange 3c that fits in this recess 2d. This serves to properly position the plug 3 in the endof the strand and to 20 prevent it from being driven further into the same by the expander 5. It is also to be noted that when the tool 4 is removed after having performed its function that the external threads v2h on the sleeve 2, now firmly attached to the g5 strand I, may be used to function as a connectingmeans when the strand is placed in service. This may be done by providing an internally threaded coupling 6 that is of -suieient length to be screwed completely over the exteriorly 30 threaded ends of both the sleeve being described and another that has been similarly applied to another length ofstrand. I

Although not previously mentioned, it is to be understood that the expander. 5B fired into the 35 plug 3 by ring of the cartridge 5 remains in the plug and is not extracted. Therefore, the end of the strand is provided with what vis in effect a. solid integral unit, the extreme pressures created by the penetration of thepin expander being 40 sufficient to cold forge the various units together. The cartridge 5 carries a suiiicient charge to propel the pin expander at such an extreme lvelocity as to effect the desired penetration into the plug 3 45 Because of the great force available resulting from the manner of the insertion of the plug 5 -the present invention provides for the application of end lttings not only to hollow strands but to wire ropes as well. In cases where the 50 rope is provided with a hemp core, a portion of this core may be removed, and in case it is prof vided with a steel core there is sufficient power available to deflect thesteel core and thus secure u l may also be accommodated.

I claim:` y

1. Apparatus for providing a strand with an end connector including the combination of a sleeve in which said strand is insertable, a plug inside oi said strand and an expander for said plug, said` kapparatus comprising a tool having ang'end adapted to be attached to the outside oi said sleeve and provided with means for forcing said expander into said plug when said sleeve is positioned over the outside and said plug is positioned inside of an end portion ofsaid/strand.

2. Apparatus for providing a strand with an end connector including the comi'iiriationA of a sleeve in which said strand isinsertable, and a plug adapted to fit inside of said strand, said apparatus comprising a tool having anA end adapted to be attached to the outside oi' said sleeve and having a vguideway leading centrally toward the latter and provided with a breech mechanism adapted to fire a suitable ball cartridge so its projectile travels down said guideway into said plug when said sleeve is positioned over the outside and said-plug is positioned inside oi' an end portion of said strand.

3. Apparatus for providing a strand with an end connector including the combination of a sleeve in which said strand is insertable and having means on its outside adapted to function as a connecting means when applied to said strand and the latter placed in service, and a plug adapted to fit inside of said strand, said apparatus comprising a tool having an end adapted to be attached to the outside of said sleeve and having a guideway leading centrally toward the latter and provided with a breech mechanism adapted to iire a suitable ball cartridge so its projection travels down the same into said plug when said sleeve is positioned over the outside and said plug is positioned inside of an end portion of said strand, the inside of said end o! said tool being provided with attaching means cooperating with said means on said sleeve adapted to function as a connecting means whensaid sleeve is applied to said strand and the latter placed in service.

EVALD 0. WAHLSTROM. 

